Print Report
CEGL001692 Sporobolus airoides - Scleropogon brevifolius Grassland
Type Concept Sentence: No Data Available
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Alkali Sacaton - Burrograss Grassland
Colloquial Name: No Data Available
Hierarchy Level: Association
Type Concept: On White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, this is a major community of the northern Jornada del Muerto and Tularosa basins, extending into the lower elevation interior valleys of the San Andres and Oscura mountains. This community mainly occurs in swales, drainage ways, small depressions, and alluvial flats of the basin floor and piedmont. Soils are generally heavy clays but patches of sandy soils may occur in the basin. Elevation range is 1160 to 1650 m (3800-5400 feet). This dense grassland is characterized by a luxuriant cover of Sporobolus airoides with patches of abundant Scleropogon brevifolius and, to a lesser extent, Pleuraphis mutica, that can reach as much as 30% cover. Overall, diversity is moderate (75 species), though most species are present at very low cover. Shrubs are scarce. Atriplex canescens may be present but seldom exceeds 5% cover. Of the 38 forbs recorded, many are weedy ruderal species such as Salsola kali.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: ~Sporobolus wrightii - Panicum obtusum Grassland (CEGL001486)$$, Tobosagrass/Alkali Sacaton PA (Muldavin et al. 2000b), ~Pleuraphis mutica - Scleropogon brevifolius Grassland (CEGL001640)$$, and Burrograss/Monotypic Stand PAs (Muldavin et al. 2000b) are similar, lowland grasslands on heavy soils. Surrounding upland communities are Chihuahuan Desert grasslands or shrublands. ~Sporobolus airoides - Scleropogon brevifolius Grassland (CEGL001692)$$ may represent degraded Alkali Sacaton/Monotypic or Alkali Sacaton/Tobosagrass PAs (Muldavin et al. 2000b) that have been impacted by past heavy grazing. Scleropogon brevifolius is a disturbance increaser that quickly colonizes bare soil patches (Stubbendieck et al. 1992, Allred 1993, Dick-Peddie 1993), and although Scleropogon brevifolius cover is low, the patches it occupies within the sacaton matrix are moderately extensive. In the absence of disturbance conditions that create bare soil patches, Scleropogon brevifolius may be replaced by Pleuraphis mutica on silty soils or Sporobolus flexuosus on sandy soils (Neuenschwander et al.1975, Gibbens and Beck 1987).
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: No Data Available
Floristics: No Data Available
Dynamics: No Data Available
Environmental Description: No Data Available
Geographic Range: No Data Available
Nations: US
States/Provinces: NM
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.684773
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: G5
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 3 Desert & Semi-Desert Class | C03 | 3 |
| Subclass | 3.A Warm Desert & Semi-Desert Woodland, Scrub & Grassland Subclass | S06 | 3.A |
| Formation | 3.A.2 Warm Desert & Semi-Desert Scrub & Grassland Formation | F015 | 3.A.2 |
| Division | 3.A.2.Na North American Warm Desert Scrub & Grassland Division | D039 | 3.A.2.Na |
| Macrogroup | 3.A.2.Na.3 Black Grama - Bullgrass - Tobosa Grass Chihuahuan Semi-Desert Grassland Macrogroup | M087 | 3.A.2.Na.3 |
| Group | 3.A.2.Na.3.d Tobosa Grass - Alkali Sacaton - Vine-mesquite Semi-Desert Lowland Grassland Group | G489 | 3.A.2.Na.3.d |
| Alliance | A3186 Alkali Sacaton - Big Sacaton - Vine-mesquite Lowland Desert Grassland Alliance | A3186 | 3.A.2.Na.3.d |
| Association | CEGL001692 Alkali Sacaton - Burrograss Grassland | CEGL001692 | 3.A.2.Na.3.d |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: = Sporobolus airoides - Scleropogon brevifolius PA (Muldavin and Mehlhop 1992)
= Alkali Sacaton/Burrograss PA (Muldavin et al. 2000b) [(Sporobolus airoides/Scleropogon brevifolius; SPOAIR/SCLBRE)]
= Alkali Sacaton/Burrograss PA (Muldavin et al. 2000b) [(Sporobolus airoides/Scleropogon brevifolius; SPOAIR/SCLBRE)]
- Allred, K. W. 1993. A field guide to the grasses of New Mexico. Department of Agricultural Communications, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces.
- Bourgeron, P. S., and L. D. Engelking, editors. 1994. A preliminary vegetation classification of the western United States. Unpublished report. The Nature Conservancy, Western Heritage Task Force, Boulder, CO. 175 pp. plus appendix.
- Dick-Peddie, W. A. 1993. New Mexico vegetation: Past, present, and future. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque. 244 pp.
- Gibbens, R. P., and R. F. Beck. 1987. Increase in number of dominant plants and dominance--classes on a grassland in the northern Chihuahuan Desert. Journal of Range Management 40(2):136-139.
- Muldavin, E., Y. Chauvin, and G. Harper. 2000b. The vegetation of White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico: Volume I. Handbook of vegetation communities. Final report to Environmental Directorate, White Sands Missile Range. New Mexico Natural Heritage Program, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. 195 pp. plus appendices
- Muldavin, E., and P. Mehlhop. 1992. A preliminary classification and test vegetation map for White Sands Missile Range and San Andreas National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico. University of New Mexico, New Mexico Natural Heritage Program.
- Neuenschwander, L. F., S. H. Sharrow, and H. A. Wright. 1975. Review of tobosa grass (Hilaria mutica). Southwestern Naturalist 20(2):255-263.
- Stubbendieck, J., S. L. Hatch, and C. H. Butterfield. 1992. North American range plants, 4th edition. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln. 493 pp.
- Western Ecology Working Group of NatureServe. No date. International Ecological Classification Standard: International Vegetation Classification. Terrestrial Vegetation. NatureServe, Boulder, CO.